Now the only question is who's going to photoshop it...
Posted on 04/14/2005 12:00:51 PM PDT by Dean Baker
Baptist church 'fake pope' sign attracting attention, criticism By JEANNINE F. HUNTER, hunter@knews.com April 13, 2005
NEWPORT, Tenn. - Two days after being posted, a church marquee message that questions the purpose of the papacy is still attracting attention in this small community.
"What I am trying to do is to let people know there's only one way to heaven through Jesus Christ," said the Rev. Cline Franklin, pastor of Hilltop Baptist Church. "There's no need for help. God sent his son, Jesus Christ. We're all priests if we're saved. I don't need to go to anybody else to pray."
The sign's side facing Broadway, the main thoroughfare in Newport, reads, "No truth, No hope Following a hell-bound pope!" On the other side, facing the church parking lot, it reads: "False hope in a fake pope."
The message appeared days after Pope John Paul II's funeral last week.
"It is unfortunate when it comes from within the Christian church. It's really sad," said the Rev. Dan Whitman, 54, pastor of Newport's Good Shepherd Catholic parish and Holy Trinity parish in Jefferson City. "You learn how to deal with it and pray not to be that way yourself."
It does not reflect mainstream Baptist thought, said Dr. Merrill "Mel" Hawkins, associate professor of religion and director of the Center for Baptist Studies at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City.
"When you see signs like that, they are almost like relics or artifacts of a bygone era," Hawkins said.
He spoke about animus between Protestants and Catholics persisting after the Protestant Reformation and for centuries, during which "harsh things were said, couched within misperceptions, misunderstandings."
Among the major misperceptions is that Catholics "venerate the pope on the same level as Jesus," Hawkins said, and that "the pope is connected to their salvation in place of Jesus Christ."
Catholics make up about 12 percent of the population in the South.
"Catholics are a minority faith in the South, and there's often bias toward minority religious communities because people don't understand," he said.
James Gaddis, a lay speaker who also chairs the board at First United Methodist Church, said he had not seen the sign but had heard about it.
"I understand that it's very degrading," he said. "I think it's tragic that any church group would stoop to this posture."
Following Tuesday night's council meeting, Newport Mayor Roland Dykes Jr. said he was a little saddened by the message.
"It doesn't behoove any of us to determine who is going to heaven or hell. I think the pope is a highly, highly respected person," he said.
Franklin's church is a five-year-old independent Baptist church. When asked what the message meant, he said: "What does 'pope' mean? It means father. We have a heavenly father, and the Bible says we shall call no man a father. "
He said people have been driving by or taking pictures or calling to share their views. He said the intent was not to offend Catholics and people are misunderstanding the sign.
Copyright 2005, Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.
Nowhere that I know of in the Bible does it say that one must attend a church. I'm Baptist and I believe what Christ said about whenever any two are together, there He is also.......
These are the fundamental point of difference between Protestants and Catholics.
The priesthood of all believers. According to Protestant doctine, ministers of religion have no special power or authority that is not available to everyone else. Catholics maintain that priests are the heirs of the Apostles, and were indirectly appointed and authorized to perform special functions.
Justification by faith alone. Protestants maintain that belief is the sole criteria for salvation. While good behavior is a logic consequence of belief, it is not of any value. Catholics have a different position on free will that enables them to say that good works and holy living are spitirually valuable.
This is all old stuff, going back to Luther and Calvin.
I'm not catholic and I can see why catholics would be offended because I find it offensive myself.
Ahhh!!!! Ya beat me to it! First thought that popped into my head was the same thing about the nutty reverend.
What a hypocrite!
I'm sure this guy is winning LOTS of converts. Truly, he has a dizzying intellect.
< /s>
I'm Catholic (Haven't practiced since I was in 6th grade) and have never heard that?
I have always considered (Possibly ignorantly), those who are "Born Again" to be Protistants only. Even specific Protistants.
??
> That's distasteful seeing as it's after the pope's death.
Would it be distasteful *before* the Pope's death?
Truly, you have a dizzying intellect!
WAIT TILL I GET GOING!!!!!!!!!!
I agree. I'm a Baptist and I and ashamed of these HOLIER-THAN-THOU types, as this preacher seems to be........
Obviously, Mr. Franklin and his followers are not the crispest crackers in the box.
Exactly...so you won't mind if nobody shows up to see YOU pray or hear YOU'RE interpretation of the Bible, huh? Hypocrit.
I'm Baptist and I'm offended by this.......
Jesus said all must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven.
These are the fundamental point of difference between Protestants and Catholics.
The priesthood of all believers. According to Protestant doctine, ministers of religion have no special power or authority that is not available to everyone else. Catholics maintain that priests are the heirs of the Apostles, and were indirectly appointed and authorized to perform special functions.
Justification by faith alone. Protestants maintain that belief is the sole criteria for salvation. While good behavior is a logic consequence of belief, it is not of any value. Catholics have a different position on free will that enables them to say that good works and holy living are spitirually valuable.
This is all old stuff, going back to Luther and Calvin.
Or the brightest bulbs on the CHRISTMAS TREE.......
It has nothing to do with what church you worship at. Going to a church doesn't make you a Christian any more than being in a garage makes you a car.
It is only about accepting God's FREE gift. If you don't want His free gift, you will someday get exactly what you desired - eternity without God, which is hell.
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thout the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
-- Matt 7:1-3
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